Holtz Expands Window Restoration Services

Holtz Expands Window Restoration Services

Only one thing can detract from a beautifully painted home exterior: shabby windows. That’s why H.J. Holtz & Son has extended its services to include full window restoration.

“We see this as a need for our customers,” says company President Rick Holtz. “We have the expertise when it comes to painting and carpentry; all we needed to do was apply those skills to windows.”

The Holtz carpentry division has added staff in recent years, enabling the company to increase its wood restoration and repair capabilities. The ability to offer those services has proved especially useful for older homes, which most often need carpentry repair throughout the structure. Because windows involve the joining of glass to wood, they are especially vulnerable to temperature swings, weather ranging from severe summer storms to freezing winter precipitation, and even blunt force (think tree limbs or hurled balls). Without careful monitoring, windows will, quite literally, fall apart. 

Before beginning any exterior painting job, a Holtz project manager completes a thorough inspection, looking for any areas showing damage that can include wood rot, mold or organic growth, or any other harm that should be repaired before painting can begin. That inspection includes the windows, when the need for window restoration might be identified. 

“We don’t want to overlook any issue,” Holtz says. 

Sometimes, only one window needs attention, but if your house has original wood windows that are more than 30 years old, it’s likely they all need work. The glazing – the putty that holds the glass in the sash – breaks down over time. Without a solid seal, moisture and even bugs can make inroads, leading to the need for larger repairs or replacement.  

With an expanded work space in the company’s new location in Chesterfield, the Holtz carpentry team is able to efficiently manage even large jobs. The first step in window restoration is to bring the windows to the shop, where they are disassembled. The sashes are stripped of paint and any necessary repairs are made. Then the window is reassembled, primed, and painted. The team then replaces or reinstalls the glass, reglazing with fresh putty for a thorough seal. Special care is taken during the priming stage to prevent mold growth, as the primer used provides a line of defense against encroaching moisture. The team can also improve the window’s pulley system by replacing original rope with a metal chain, making it easier to open and close the window. 

The team is currently working with a general contractor who is restoring a home nearing its centennial. The owner wanted to keep the original windows for historical accuracy, so Holtz carpenters are fixing and repainting all 50+ windows. 

“It’s a privilege for us to help return this house to pristine condition,” Rick Holtz says. “We are so happy to have the in-house expertise that’s needed to maintain the authenticity of these windows while ensuring they remain fully functional for years to come.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Second Annual Holtz Appreciation Lunch Set for February

Second Annual Holtz Appreciation Lunch Set for February

The team at H.J. Holtz & Son knows the value of relationships. As a third-generation family-owned company, we enjoy working with designers, contractors, and vendors over and over again, because we know that strong collaboration benefits clients. 

As a thank-you to our professional partners and to celebrate those connections, last year we held a Designers and Contractors Appreciation Lunch at Independence Golf Club. The location was fitting, as we’ve worked with Independence over the years to freshen their spaces. The event was so successful – with representatives of 8 paint, wallpaper, and millwork companies showcasing their lines – and more than 60 designers and other business partners in attendance, that we decided to do it again!

This year’s event will also be in February, a time of year when many of us think about what and who we love – thanks to Valentine’s Day and prompting from heart-themed store displays. Many of last year’s representatives will be on hand, as will additional friends eager for conversations with others in the same industry. We are excited to see what new products and ideas are surfacing in the industry and happy to bring together people who share our ethos of customer service and high-quality workmanship. 

If you’re in the industry and would like to join us, please give the office a call!

A Fresh Face for the Historic Bolling Haxall House

A Fresh Face for the Historic Bolling Haxall House

Five years ago, H.J. Holtz & Son team members updated the first-floor interior of the historic Bolling Haxall House, an 1858 Italianate Mansion at the corner of East Franklin and North Third Streets, with fresh wallpaper and paint. Last summer, Holtz & Son was on site again.

This time, the project was bigger – and far more visible.

Following a thorough exterior cleaning from local partner Envirowash, Holtz painters and carpenters repainted the entire stucco exterior, replaced rotted wood, rebuilt balconies, and refurbished windows in the rooftop belvedere, the square cupola at the top of the house.

“So many people drive down East Franklin Street and see this house,” says Leighann Scott Boland, executive director of The Woman’s Club, which calls the Bolling Haxall House home. “For a while now, we’ve been reminded of the Lady Astor quote about Savannah, Georgia: ‘a beautiful woman with a dirty face.’ This house has always been beautiful; now she has a clean face, too.”

The historic Bolling Haxall House welcomes visitors regularly. The Woman’s Club, founded in 1894 to provide educational opportunities for women, meets most weeks from September through April. Additionally, the building hosts special events year-round, including Junior Assembly Cotillion dances, weddings and musical concerts.

“We are looking forward to hosting more events in the near future,” Boland says. “That’s when this house really shines – when it’s full of people.”

Of course, visitors see the outside first. To both improve the home’s aesthetics and fortify structural elements, the Holtz team conducted a full assessment of the exterior, which revealed more rot in woodwork than was expected. Carpentry craftsmen rebuilt railings, balusters, and supports. In the belvedere, which offers 360-degree views of the surrounding city via eight towering windows, the team was also tasked with rebuilding frames and sashes.

“There was more damage up there than we realized,” Boland says.

While the process wasn’t without challenges – a bucket lift brought in to reach the belvedere inadvertently damaged a railing, which was repaired – Boland says the Holtz team made the project as enjoyable as they could.

“I love the guys who were here; they were so respectful,” she says. “They always cleaned up after themselves and found ways to keep working when the weather wasn’t cooperating. They knew we had programs resuming in September and did everything they could to make sure we had a beautiful new facade to share with our members when they returned.”

Passers-by enjoyed the transformation, too. “We would look out the windows and see that people on foot and on bicycles would stop and watch the work; some even took photos,” she says. “And our members were so impressed by the improvements when our programming resumed in the fall.”

The exterior work also garnered attention from industry professionals, as it was named one of four finalists in the “Best Exterior Renovation” category of the Golden Hammer Awards, presented annually by the Historic Richmond Foundation in partnership with Storefront for Community Design. At the awards ceremony held in early November, the Bolling Haxall House Foundation, which maintains the property, The Woman’s Club, and H.J. Holtz and Son were recognized for their efforts to preserve one of downtown Richmond’s most beloved and historic structures.

Though the project didn’t win the top prize – which went to the restoration of Old City Hall – the refurbished exterior of the Bolling Haxall House demonstrates what’s possible when careful craftsmanship is applied to a home in need.

“Everyone at H.J. Holtz & Son was wonderful to work with,” Boland says. “They were quick to respond, professional, and definitely went above and beyond to ensure that our beautiful home is once again one of the shining jewels on East Franklin Street.”

New Holtz Painting Shop Continues to Evolve

New Holtz Painting Shop Continues to Evolve

Everyone knows that moving into a new place is a process. Decisions have to be made about how to best use the space, what renovation or construction is essential immediately, and where everything is going to go.

Now imagine that new location isn’t a house for a family, but a building for a fully functioning company, with ongoing projects in need of attention and employees in need of work areas. That’s what H.J. Holtz & Son has been experiencing over the last six months.

“We knew this was a big change, but it doesn’t really hit you until you’re in it,” says Rick Holtz, the Holtz Painting president and third generation owner. “We’ve been going full steam since we moved in, and there’s more to do.”

The company purchased the new location, a former auto repair shop, in May and began work immediately to make it their own. They’ve removed interior walls to create an open space where estimators and project managers can confer and hung new drywall throughout to create a fresh, clean environment. Virtually all of the interior changes are being handled by the Holtz team, except for significant electrical work, which is managed by Jon Calhoun of Cardinal Electrical Services, a regular partner.

The new shop at 2025 Tacony Drive, near the intersection of Hull Street Road and Chippenham Parkway, is nearly double the size of the company’s former location in Scott’s Addition. The added room allows for additional spray booths, greater dedicated space for the carpentry division, and more holding area for projects that are in process.

“We didn’t realize how cramped we were at the old location until we got in here,” Holtz says. “Even though we’ve got more arranging to do, to use this space to its full potential, we’re already able to better manage work flow. And we don’t feel like we’re constantly bumping into one another.”

The company’s shift from Scott’s Addition to Chesterfield County makes no difference when it comes to serving clients.

“We have clients throughout the Richmond metro area,” Holtz says. “With the Chippenham Parkway right here, we have access to expressways that take us wherever we need to go. It’s a great spot.”

As for when the new shop will be fully finished, don’t hold your breath. “It’s like the old saying about the cobbler’s children who go barefoot because everyone gets shoes before they do,” Holtz says. “We’re still putting our clients first. Our shop can be perfect later.”

Fredy Vigil, Foreman, Reaches 10-Year Anniversary

Fredy Vigil, Foreman, Reaches 10-Year Anniversary

Fredy Vigil came to H.J. Holtz & Son 10 years ago at the suggestion of his friend Juan Villanueva. Both are still with the company.

“He told me there was a lot of work here, and everyone was treated well,” Vigil says.

Vigil already had plenty of experience; he had been working as a painter for nearly 10 years when he switched employers. He says the most compelling reason offered by Villanueva was the assurance that at H.J. Holtz & Son, he wouldn’t face random days off without pay because of erratic work load. Instead, he would be guaranteed steady work.

Once he joined the Holtz & Son team, Vigil spent a few years learning the Holtz method, then became a foreman, leading project teams. He enjoys that role, he says, because he can run the job using his approach, which includes plenty of communication.

“At the end of the work day, I let everyone know what we’re going to do the next day,” he says. “That way, they know what to expect.”

Vigil has also enjoyed the chance to develop his painting skills. He is now one of the Holtz painting team members with extensive experience in working with the Fine Paints of Europe (FPE) product line. When painting with FPE coatings, the environment has to be carefully controlled – to prevent dust and other particulates from marring the surface – and the application has to be deliberate and precise.

“I liked the challenge of learning something new,” Vigil says of working with FPE, adding that he enjoys talking with people about that paint line. “We have to educate customers about what’s needed.”

When he’s not in a customer’s home, Vigil can often be found in the spray booth, an enclosed space where furniture and other objects are painted in a climate-controlled environment. “I really like being in the booth, because when I finish, I can see the good quality of the paint job,” he says. “And it’s nice to be on my own sometimes.”

Vigil also appreciates the family atmosphere of the company, noting that he was able to get to know current president Rick Holtz’s parents and sister when they were working with the company. “That makes me want to stay,” he says.

Happy 10th anniversary, Fredy!

 

 

New Home Renovation for Holtz Customer Offers Fresh Template

New Home Renovation for Holtz Customer Offers Fresh Template

Kristen Ziegler wanted to avoid making the same mistakes twice.

In her first home renovation, she hired H.J. Holtz & Son to paint the house’s exterior after the painter who worked on the interior retired. She knew of the company’s high-end reputation, but soon found the craftsmanship and attention brought by the Holtz team to be worth any added expense.

So it was an easy decision for Ziegler to turn to Holtz & Son to help her renovate her new residence, a condominium in a 1914 apartment building. The original intent of the building was intact, but Ziegler wanted to restore the space with historical accuracy. “My first home was also my first renovation; I wasted some time and money in the learning process to get things right,” she says. “This time, I knew how to do things properly. It’s so hard: you don’t know what you don’t know.”

Painting the walls would be simple enough, Ziegler knew. The challenges were in the space’s woodwork. Trim around windows and doors was buried under layers of old paint. Crown molding at the ceiling wasn’t original to the apartment. And the baseboards were clearly also replacements; they were nearly two inches taller than the original baseboards in the building’s shared stairwell.

Working on a tight timeline, so Ziegler and her husband didn’t have to find a place to live between the sale of their previous home and moving into the new condo, the Holtz painting and carpentry divisions fabricated and painted new historically accurate baseboards, sanded and repainted all the home’s trim, and replastered and painted the walls after the inauthentic crown molding was removed. Later, after the couple had moved in, the Holtz team stripped and repainted exterior balcony French doors and painted the living room fireplace.

“The Holtz team was able to figure everything out – all the different parts – without me having to manage it,” Ziegler says. “They see other things that need attention and go above and beyond to make sure it’s complete. No detail is left unaddressed.”

As founder and principal of Minima – a firm that specializes in helping people declutter, organize, and redesign their spaces – Ziegler has an eye for detail. She credits Holtz craftsman Ricky Reid for working diligently to ensure that the new baseboards were aligned perfectly. “There are no straight walls here,” she says. “He got the trim to look straight and have the shadows look right. It was double the cost it could have been, but I’m so glad I did it.”

Ziegler is pleased with the finished project and even the process of getting there.

“I’m not an easygoing person, especially when it comes to renovations, but I’m kind,” she says. “I could tell they appreciated that, and they never got upset with me over my high standards. There’s no drama [with the Holtz team]; they show up on time and solve problems. They take pride in what they do.

“As a business owner, I value really strong customer service and really strong quality of service,” she adds. “I feel like they share those same principles, which brings peace of mind during complex projects.”

Find Minima at www.minimaonline.com